Recently in Misc. Category

Okay this is the body part

I had to laugh after I typed the title. I had misspelled and wrote "I'm Gunky". Which kind of works since Gunky and Funky feel the same today.

I am in a really crappy mood. Just have a "don't give a shit about anything" feeling for the past few days. I can't blame it on that time of the month since that was long gone over 10 years ago. (I am NOT that F*ckin old just early menopause) Don't mess with me I might just bite your head off.

Hope it goes away soon as it is too hot here to be miserable double time.

Is there still anyone out there that reads this? Please give a shout out!

Let's see what has been happening over the past 6 months.

I have AGAIN changed salons. The other new boss just got unbearable. So I quit. Two days later he got fired. But I like my new place so far so I think I will stay for awhile.

Shingles are gone - welcome oesteoarthritis of the shoulders. Yep, BOTH shoulders are screwed. I have been going to Physical Therapy for about 2 months and am getting some of the range of motion back. Has helped with work since I use my shoulders constantly there. (doing hair) So damn, that means I can keep working. LOL

Hubby is working swing shift (12 noon to 10 pm) so we don't see much of each other from Sunday to Thursday. But it is suppose to be only for another month. Hopefully that is true.

Was in Mazatlan in Feb. Loved the place but not so much the people that we went with. I may have to blog about that trip in its own entry.

Now that I upgraded, I have to do a redesign. This is so generic. I just have to figure out how to do it. This version of MT is alot more detailed than the one I upgraded from. May take some time. But if I stick around and blog some I will have to get busy.

Let me know if you are still reading and I will be forced to keep it updated more often.

I am still trying to get MT upgraded with all the "things" working. It has been a bear.

I am now trying to get the comments to work without me manually having to change the chmod each time I add and entry.

Hope this works. I have some cool shit to blog about.

Hello! Is anybody there?

I guess I better post something on the off chance that someone might show up here to see what I am up too.

Walking! Walking, walking and more walking! Trip to Pinetop for Memorial Day but no walking there. I got sick. Not exactly sure what the hell it is but there was sore throat, slight fever (100ish) chills and headache. But Advil kicked it's butt for about 4 hours a pop so I lived on Advil for the weekend.

We did take a ride up the ski lift in Sunrise. That was really pretty and damn cold.

Let's see...

We are going to babysit my brother-in-laws animals while they are away in North Carolina. We will have a dog, a cat (ours), a rabbit, a turtle and a fish. Here's hoping that I can keep them all alive for 3 weeks.

So far, I have walked 111 miles training for the Breast Cancer 3-Day. The longest walk was 8.5 miles with the next day a 6 mile walk. It really is getting easier and now a 5 mile walk feels like a walk around the block. So I really think I will be able to do this 60 miles in 3 day thing. Just need to get the donations taken care of. So if you haven't donated, please consider it. Every dollar helps.

I will leave you with current pictures of my bestest girls.

KAYLIN 15 months

ZOE 4 months

Folks! I have been driving for *cough behind hand* 30 some years *cough cough*. I have never had an accident when I was driving. That came to an end yesterday.

I was driving with my granddaughter, Kaylin on the 51 (one of our main freeways). Rush hour traffic - stop and go - bumper to bumper. I had just got onto the ramp that splits from the 51 into the 202 east and 10 west (I was heading onto the 202 east) The car in front of me stopped short. I applied my brakes to not hit them. The motorcycle rider behind me was not so lucky. When I looked in the rear view mirror I saw this shiny black Harley bearing down on my trunk, with a guy on it who didn't look like he was having a good day. And it was about to get worse.

After he hit me I was extremely calm. It was kind of weird actually. I would have expected panic and screaming and maybe a few cuss words flying out of my mouth, but there was none of that. A slight panic though, until I looked back and saw Kaylin still sleeping soundly in her car seat. I think the impact knocked the binky right out of her mouth, though.

So here we are sitting in the middle of rush hour traffic, cars slowing whizzing by
us and instead of being the gawker ... I was now the gawkee. The cop came and we got a lights and siren escort off the ramp and onto the side of the freeway (10 west). This is where we spent the next 40 mins standing around while the officer did the paperwork. (Kaylin slept thru most of it)

Everyone was okay. The motorcycle dude hurt his hand (smashed between the bike and the car) but he didn't think it was broken. The bike and the car didn't fare as well. The bike was about 5 months old and a beautie. It now has a dent in the gas tank, a very bent crash bar, twisted lights and one foot pad was all contorted. MY CAR is now sporting a dented trunk, broken taillight and a pretty good size dent in the back quarter panel.

I got up this morning (still feeling fine) and called my insurance company. As I was on the phone to them, I got a call waiting beep. It was the motorcyle dude's insurance company. He admitted fault and my car is going into the shop on Monday to get fixed. I was hoping for money but I guess they don't do that anymore. So fixed it will be. I even get a rental car out of the deal until my car is done.

Want to see what my car looks like now. Check the extended.

I spent the last two days on our income tax. I hadn't done "ANYTHING" on them all year long. Not only did I have to deal with my business "stuff" but there was also STOCK crap that I had to try to figure out.

Hubby's company gave them stock last year and then sold some of the stock to pay for the taxes on the stock. This company does some really weird shit in their accounting department, this just being one of them. Plus there was the stock that I had that "merged" with another company. This one they bought out my stock and then gave me some of the new stock. Sounds confusing eh? Well, try and figure out how to put all that down on an income tax form. That is one of the reasons that it took me two days.

But they are e-filed and I am now waiting for them to be accepted. I owe federal and get back from state, so I am only going to pay out about $450 this year. Believe me! For us that is not bad at all!

Whew! I am glad that is over, that is one of the "biggies" on my list of things that I HAD to get done.

I took the laptop to work today because I had some extra time between customers. So here I am! The funny thing is that the shop doesn't have internet access. I am working off of some unsuspecting idiot out there who has an unsecured wireless network.

It's a good thing I am not an "evil hacker"!

So for now I get to surf the internet at my whim. Got to love it.

I hate f*cking fighting with the bank about "MY" money. Actually it isn't the "bank" but the company that handles their online billpaying.

They seem to have paid my Discover card bill this month. TWICE! To the tune of $1200. TWICE!

I have been on the phone all morning talking to the "bank" - to the bill pay company - to collections of the bill pay company. Of course, the "techs" who answer the first calls are idiots and don't know their ass from a hole in the ground. I asked to be escalated to a supervisor. The one "bimbo" in collections said, "They won't help you either and forwarded me MY OWN BANK, who has nothing to do with the bill pay.

I finally, (after my fourth call and as many cups of coffee) I got someone who knew something. As of this writing, I STILL am short $1200 in my checking account but the "supervisor" has escalated the problem and I should hear something in a few hours. Trust me, if I don't they will be hearing from me AGAIN! (original post on 3/13/06)

UPDATE! I got my money back from Discover on Monday the 20th. I also got the "service charges" that were accessed to my account reversed. And a Huge apology from the bank. The dorks at the Bill Pay - not so much of an apology but what can you expect from a bunch of half-brain idiots.

There have been a couple of things bothering me the past few days.

1. What's with nose hair? I, personally have no nose hair. At least not that anyone else can see. But I have a friend who has nose hair. LOTS of nose hair. As a matter of fact, so MUCH nose hair, that I spent most of our breakfast date trying NOT to look at her nose. (YES, I did say HER) I know what to get her for her next birthday.

2. Where are all the AA batteries coming from?

I have found at least 10 batteries in the past week. Just lying on the ground, EVERYWHERE! The parking lot at the shop - the front yard - the parking lot of the barrestaurant that we went to for dinner - in front of Starbucks! Is it a conspiracy? Is someone trying to poison the earth with discarded AA batteries? Anyone have an idea?

3. How do two (2) people make so damn much laundry in a week?

4. How one minute I have something to tell someone and the next minute I have no idea what that something was!

5. I know there was more but damn if I can remember what it was.

Damn, I hate insomnia! What is with me being up until 2 in the morning? I just can't seem to fall asleep. I was in bed since 10:30 - tossed and turned for an hour an a half - all the while listening to Hubby snoring away.

Now at 12:30 I sit here blogging about not sleeping as I yawn every two minutes.

Who the hell needs sleep anyway?

I am about to "redo" my computer. I usually try to do it once a year but since it scares the shit out of me each time, it has been two years since I have reformatted.

So if you don't see me posting in the next few hours that means it didn't go well.

There is ALWAYS "something" that I forget to backup. I think I have got it covered this time.

Maybe when I get back I will even get this "Holiday Skin" changed.

Wish me luck. See ya on the flip side!

UPDATE!

I am back in business. At least I have an operating system on my computer. Now comes the "fun" part of loading all the software that I use regularly. Woo hoo! What a great Sunday afternoon!

This year is whizzing by!

We took a quick trip to Laughlin. (mini Las Vegas for those who aren't from around here). Hubby did some computer work for some friends and they gave him two nights free at the Ramada Express. We planned it early in the month rather than later because we didn't want to get a phone call saying that "Little Z" was on her way into the world. We were safe. She hasn't arrived yet.

We didn't come home rich but we did come home with some of our gambling money left, so we feel like we were winners. We were up sitting at the blackjack table at 4am one morning having a "lucky streak" and were amazed that we were coherent enough to play cards.

"Little Z" is not actually due until the 20th of January, but word has it that she will be coming a bit early. If she hasn't popped her head out by Tues. night, she is going to be coaxed out. So by sometime Wednesday, there should be another little rugrat in the world that I will call granddaughter. Woo Hoo!

Off to watch the "NEW SEASON" of "24". Another WOO HOO!

I took the day off so Hubby and I could do some charity work.

One of Hubby's co-workers asked him if we would like to help raise money for Ronald McDonald House. All we had to do was lay down some cash and shoot at a couple of clay targets at the Ben Avery Clay Target Center. No Problem!

Little did I know that we would be using a 12 gauge shotgun and have to shoot the thing 50 times. AND try to hit these little orange targets that were flying thru the sky every which way.

Now, I must tell you that I come from a "hunting" family. Yes! Deer, elk, javalina, doves, quail and more than a few cans have lost their lives because of my family. Personally, I have only "killed" cans and targets but the MEN in the family have harmed little Bambi's mommy and daddy and some of his extended family.

I use to be a pretty fair shot. I say "use to be" because I haven't had a gun in my hand for ohhhh 10 years or more. Unless you count the paintball gun that I used on my honeymoon 8 years ago --- but that is another post.

So the set up was 5 different stands. At each stand you got 10 shots and 10 clay targets. The first 4 shots were single shots and the last 3 were two targets at a time. You had to be quick.

Hubby made me go first. His mistake. The first stand I got 9 out of 10 shots. Yeah! You heard me right. I only missed one bright orange clay target. Hubby was sweating. He managed to get 8 out of ten.

The exhilaration was short lived though, as he took the lead at the third stand. So for the next two hours we were shooting at these clay targets going from left to right and right to left and from here to there and there to here. And don't forget the double targets that went from here to there AND there to here at the same time.

After all was said and done, I ended up with 32 dead clay targets out of a possible 50 and Hubby had killed 38. Since I was one of 2 women shooting, I think all the "good ole boys" that were running the place, were impressed by my skills.

I also have a tweeked neck and I bet I have a bruise on my shoulder in the morning. But what the heck! It was for a good cause.

I was all snuggled under the covers, of my nice toasty, warm, king bed, when Hubby kissed me good-bye as he was heading out to work at 5:15 am. So I rolled over, patted the dog, who had replaced Hubby on his half of the bed, and fell back to sleep.

I was startled awake by the LOUD ringing of the phone. I rolled over and looked at the clock. After seeing that it was 6 AM, there was now panic in my nice peaceful, toasty, warm life. No one in MY world calls MY house at 6 am unless it involves bleeding, unconsciousness or death.

In panic mode, I whip off the covers, grab the bedside phone, "Hello?" "HELLO!" no answer. All my phones have caller id, but that doesn't really do me any good when I have jumped out of bed in a panic and don't have my glasses on.

Thousands of awful thoughts are running through my head,

• Hubby was in an accident on the way to work
• Something has happened to one of the boys
• Little K has fallen out of the crib
• Someone is bleeding, unconscious or dead

Now the dog, who was all sprawled belly side up on "his" side of the bed sound asleep too, senses that he should be doing SOMETHING. So he spends several seconds trying to right himself as he barks and carries on like he is going to rip SOMETHING a new Asshole. He jumps off the bed and crashes right into the cat who is just wandering in to find out what all the hubbub is about. The cat screeches and runs off down the hall, dog in tow.

The phone has gone dead. I fumble around to find my glasses so I can see who is in trouble. Needing my help so early in the morning. Dog is barking, Cat is hiding somewhere. (I still haven't seen him this morning) Finally get the glasses on the face and hit caller id....

WOW! Can you believe that Thanksgiving is right around the corner and Christmas is around the next one.

I am not a big "holiday" person. I use to be as a kid. But that was back in the day when:

• I just had to show up at the mall to sit on Santa's lap


• I only had to get gifts for mom - dad - and Bro. And that was easy, I just made them things out of tin cans with macaroni glued on and sprayed gold with a bit of glitter.


• all I had to do was stay in bed until 6 am on Christmas morning. That worked, except the year I woke up and had to go potty. I couldn't resist the urge to look in the livingroom. There I spied the best "Barbie Dream House" you ever saw. Then I couldn't get back to sleep.

I even enjoyed it when the kids were little. Then I only had to:

• get them to the mall to sit on Santa's lap.


• shop for toys that they had already picked out from the flyers that the toy stores sent out


• keep them in bed until 6am while I was up earlier drinking my morning coffee before the "day" arrived.

But somewhere along the line, it became less fun. More work. More commercial.

I think it stems from the fact that I feel the need to try to make everyone happy. To make arrangements that will please EVERYONE! When it was just the kids and I, it was easier. Now there are more players in the game and it is just not possible to do that anymore.

Just let me get through the holiday season without hurting anyones feelings.

So I start with Thanksgiving. The turkey will be in the oven by 8am and dinner will be around 2pm. If that works for you, let me know so I can put on some extra potatoes.

For those of you who might have to sit at your computer and hold a baby at the same time, you know that the keyboard is a big attraction to the wee little one.

I have this problem when Little K is over. She loves to type Instant Messages to Grandpa. But it is really REALLY hard to get anything that makes sense done when she wants to type away.

So I have found the PERFECT baby keyboard.

Check it out in the extended.

How come when you want a kid to nap they don't, but when you have to get out and do errands the nap lasts for hours?

Kaylin, the granddaughter who is 7 months old and the cutest thing there ever was on this earth but enough of that, has been napping for an hour and a half. Doesn't she know that Grandma has to go to the bank to get travelers cheques, the store to get more food for her, the vet to get Kermits meds before we leave on vacation. Doesn't she realize that there are a hundred and one things that I need to do before we leave on Sunday and they are ALL out of the house?

Guess I just have to play games and blog for a few more hours.

Last night Hubby and I were in different rooms doing our thing. I was watching all the "new" tv shows in the livingroom and he was messing with the computers in the back office. Between these two rooms is our kitchen and laundry room. The laundry room has a door to the outside carport.

During commercials, I was in and out of the kitchen getting water, picking up etc. He was back and forth from the office to the back bedroom where he keeps alot of his spare computer parts.

About 9 o'clock, he is standing in the kitchen looking at the laundry room door, and says, "How long has this door been open?" I am thinking he is talking about the door between the kitchen and the laundry room, right? NO! The door from the laundry room to the outside is WIDE OPEN! A gaping hole in my safety from the outside. YIKES!

So Mr. Brave grabs a knife and heads outside. (Brave but not really smart) There was no one around... including our (indoor only) cat. He had taken the opportunity to stealth out the open door and make a break for freedom. Hubby found him in the bushes next door. He tossed a rock in the bush and Beeker the cat, made a beeline for the door from which he exited. He ran past me so fast that he damn near knocked me down. The look on his face was pure terror. So much for the great outdoors.

But back to the open door. NEITHER of us had used the door since we got back from the gym at 6 o'clock. Shit! Do you suppose someone came in that door saw the back of Rick's head and heard the tv and took off? Did the wind blow it open on a windless night? Did the cat not only grow balls but hands to finally get the door open to escape?

Damn, if I don't double and triple check the locking of the doors now.

This is an open letter to the person who lost a contact in my kitchen sink.

"I FOUND IT! Don't think you will want it back though. I found it as I was scouring the sink with "Comet with bleach"."

I know that it is not either my Hubby's or mine, since neither of us wear contacts. Must be one of the daughter-in-laws, they are the only ones that I know that wear contacts that would have been in my kitchen.

But you would have thought it might have been mentioned in general conversation that one of their eyes was missing.

Oh well, I like a good mystery.

We continue to work.

It is very hard to get a big project like this done when you have to work and live and take care of other business ALSO!

It has been 6 days and the tile is now laid. You didn't hear me say "FINISHED" but just "laid". We still have to grout, put back baseboards, seal and then the final cleaning. Then of course move everything back into the room.

Our kitchen table has become our office. I don't know how many times I have tried to pull out my keyboard drawer from under the table. The rest of my house is cock full of office and misplace items.

I WANT MY HOUSE BACK IN ORDER!

Soon - hopefully we can finish this up this weekend. But now, everything that we have to do it a waiting process. Grout ... wait for 24 hours, seal grout ... wait for 24 hours. You get the picture.

So here are a couple of pictures of what my house looks like now.
You can click on them to get the BIG PICTURE!

I can't feel my arms. I guess that is not a correct statement. I CAN feel my arms but I can't MOVE my arms.

We are extending the ceramic tile that we have in the kitchen into our family room/office. We spend so much time in there, that the carpet is gross. No matter how hard I try to keep it clean there is just too much traffic. Hubby, the dog, the cat and I have worn a path. So we are tiling it.

But before we can lay the tile we had to remove the carpet. Then we had to remove the vinyl that the carpet was laid over. Last but the hardest, is removing the black adhesive that was used to stick the vinyl to the concrete. That is a BITCH! Who ever laid the vinyl had a thing for the glue that sticks it down.

I am all but about a 3 by 6 foot square and I just can’t do it anymore. Hubby is burnt after scraping the tile off and removing some of the pieces of tile that made the curve by the carpet. So we will take the rest of the afternoon off and begin again tomorrow.

You might have noticed that this room is ALSO our office. So we have set up our computers on the kitchen table. I would have some pictures for you but I am too tired to find my camera in this mess and snap some. Maybe later.

I am going to go take some Advil, ice my arms and take a nap now.

Jury duty went as expected.

I left the house at 6:50am, an hour and ten minutes early, for the 35 minute drive to the Municipal Court downtown Phoenix. AFTER I got on the freeway I noticed that there was not enough gas in the car to get me there. Of course, I had already passed all my "known" gas stations in my area. So I pulled off the bumper to bumper freeway in search of gas. To make a long story shorter, I whittled away my 30 minute safety zone and made it to the Jury Assembly room with a whole 2 minutes to spare.

There was a white board with a list of all the cases that were to be heard today. There were ten. Woo Hoo! I should be able to get on ONE of them right?

The day went like this:

• Doughnut and coffee


• Chit chat with a few other juror prospects


• Watched the movie "National Treasure"


• the list was now down to 3


• Lunch from 11:45 to 1:30 - who the hell needs THAT long for lunch


• Back to the Jury Room to watch the movie "Radio"

Just as the movie was getting to the "good" part we were told we could go home. That was at 2:45pm.

So AGAIN I never left the Assembly Room to go into the courtroom.

AND now I have to rent the movie "Radio" to see how it ends.

Ever see that commercial where the guy is on the payphone talking to a mechanic/tow company and his car is in the background smoking. Then the car blows up and he said "no I don't think a jump will work"? Well, I can relate to that commercial.

No, my car didn't blow up but it was making some very ominous noises. Hubby took it to our mechanic (and I use that term loosely) after it started making a grinding noise in the front end. We have had wheelbearing problems for 3 years now, that we have had fixed and fixed and fixed again. But they just keep going out. So our "mechanic" looks it over - test drives it and tells us that it was a loose bolt in the wheelbearing area. That is as technical as I can get cause I have no idea how a car is put together. So they tightened the bolt on BOTH sides as a courtesy. (they had only done the wheelbearing repair on the driver side)

So we pick up the car and head out to pick up Kaylin for the night. On the way home we start hearing this clunking everytime we put on the brakes. Then the clunking starts to be a rapid thumping when we let off the gas. Sounds like the engine is going to fall out on the freeway going 65 miles an hour.

Hubby takes the next day off so he can head on down to the "mechanic" to find out what the hell is wrong now. Turns out the OTHER wheelbearing is now toast. To the tune of $425. What the Hell!

I still believe that something was done (maybe just tightening the bolt?) caused the major malfunction with this wheelbearing. It is abit suspicious that right after taking it to the "mechanic" this wheelbearing fails, and fails badly. But how do you prove it.

So I am out $425 but I have to say at least it isn't making the awful noises that it was making and I am not afraid to drive it.

I just want it to hold together until I get a new one within the next year.

Why do the delivery guys/gals (FedEx, UPS, etc) always seem to ring my doorbell when I am in the shower?

Scares the shit out of me when the dog starts barking like he is going to tear someone apart, while I am standing naked and vulnerable in the shower.

But no worries, he will just leave it in the "usual spot". NOT! Must be his first day on the job because he leaves me a door tag instead. We have signed a release to allow them to leave all packages whether we are home or not. That is of course unless there is a signature required. Not the case on this package. No one requires a signature for a $30 pack of DVD's.

So hubby is going to call and give them hell and make them bring it back today.

Think he will win? It will be close. But I will let you know.

I got a letter marked personal and confidential in the mail today. Of course, I thought it was junk mail but opened it anyway.

Turns out that one of the health care service companies, that I have been to in the past, had a break in at their administration office. Seems the thieves stole a locked safe. Seems that inside that safe were computer backup tapes. Seems those tapes contained potentially sensitive information about past and current members. Seems that would be ME!

No big deal! That only means that some punk ass bitch has access to not only my medical records but my social security number, birth date, address . . . . Need I go on?

So I called the credit bureaus and had them put a "Fraud Alert" in my credit file. On Monday, I have to call the Social Security office and make them aware that my SS# may be in the hands of some undesirable with intent to wreak havoc with my identity.

But there is a bright side to this story! I get a free credit report out of the deal.

Woo Hoo! Life is good!

Back on Memorial Day weekend, I bought my wonderful new washer and dryer. At the time, Sears was having a promotion that if you used your Sears Charge card you would get 10% back on your purchase of any major appliances. I didn't have a Sears charge, but seeing that it would be about a $225 rebate, I threw caution to the wind and signed myself right up.

The sales guy gave me my rebate slip and I went home and promptly filled out the forms - copied my receipts - and mailed it off - and started the "wait" for my rebate.

Skip to today. I just got an email from "Sears Rebate" my rebate has been approved. They are sending me a check for $140. WHAT??!!??!?!? That should have been $225 , thank you very much. I think what has happened it that they have rebated me for the washer but not the dryer. Of course, they are closed on Sundays.

Of course, they have not had the wrath of tj yet either. I am all geared up for a fight. I can hear the excuses now.

• you should have filled out a rebate form for each appliance (the sales dude only gave me one)
• you can't refile cause the expiration date of the rebate has past (I shouldn't have to refile I already sent you the receipt and form)
• yada yada yada

So tomorrow, I will call bright and early before they have a chance to wake up and give them hell. I pity the fool......

I got a letter in the mail, yesterday. Hubby said it looked like I won the lottery.

It was a jury summons.

I will do my duty and serve. Actually, I would LIKE to sit on a jury. I would love to get past the first room where everyone sits reading or sleeping or sits looking really really bored. But the first 5 times I have been called for jury duty that is as far as I get. Never have I seen the inside of a court room. (from the jury perspective, that is) Hubby was actually pooled for a big case here in Phoenix involving a man murdering his wife and 2 step-kids. Their bodies were never found. But he thinks having "stepkids" got him off of that one. The guy was guilty as sin.

So on August 12th, I will pack up my bag of books . . . maybe the laptop . . . maybe a pillow to nap on . . . and go do my civic duty. Hoping to get on a really juicy trial for the first time in my life. Or at least get as far as the courtroom, so they can tell me they don't want me. I hope I can handle the rejection.

I decided that I couldn't bring my brand new spiffy washer and dryer into the old shabby dirty laundry room. So I set aside today to make it a room that they (the washer and dryer) would be proud to live in.

A new coat of paint would be nice. As I was painting the second wall, I notice a crack in the old paint. So I picked it. Well, I shouldn't have done that! You see the reason for that small crack was an old termite tunnel.

Yes, we HAD termites. Most houses in Arizona have to deal with them at one time or another. You see, these termites like to make their tunnels between the paint and the wallboard. Clever little devils that they are. That way the damage isn't as noticable until the house falls down.

We DON'T have termites now. Let me make that perfectly clear. These were old dried up tunnels. But the damage is still the same. But I digress.

So as I am poking at the wall, I am finding more and more tunnels. Of course, this causes more and more holes in the paint. By the time I am done poking,

We did our job for the Memorial Day Weekend.

We went shopping!

We made the guy at Sear's day. We bought this...

Shhhh, the baby is asleep. So I am typing quietly.

When Kaylin (the granddaughter - for those who don't know) was born I requested that I get to babysit once a week. I am lucky that I get to have "at least" my weekly fix of Kaylin on Wednesdays. "The Kids" live about 55 miles from us (one way) so they bring her over on Tuesday night and Kaylin spends the night with Grammy and Grandpa.

WE LOVE IT!

Here is a quick peek of her busy schedule!

Next time, give Hubby instructions on how to do a bikini wax BEFORE the wax is too hot. On second thought, DON'T let Hubby do your next bikini wax.

I am going to do yardwork today. I think! Nice day. Company coming over next week. Better get my butt in gear and get it ready for Mother's Day.

Off I go.

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The wind is blowing and the leaves are flying.

Quite the blustery day. Cool and breezy.

I feel just like Pooh!

Wouldn't you think that a teller, or anyone who works at a bank for that matter, should be able to count?

I noticed a suspicious charge on one of my accounts this morning when I was doing some banking stuff. So I called the bank and asked what it was.

Seems they deducted $21 from my account for a "wrong" deposit.

To give you alittle insite into ME. I am so very anal about my check register, deposits, statements. Anything that has to do with numbers and money, I double - triple - sometimes yes I even quadriple check the addition. Okay, it is a sickness and I should probably get help but . . .

Now that you know that...

Please go to the extended

Can sombody tell me how a ceiling fan, that is on almost all the time, can get so much dust and grime on it?

Shouldn't it all blow off when it is spinning around hour after hour after hour?

I just don't get it.

I went to the grocery store to pick up some stuff for dinner, today. I just happened to turn down the coffee aisle.

OH MY GOD! It smelled amazing. That yummy smell of fresh ground coffee.

I have been off coffee for about a month now. I WANT SOME BAD!

I have had to fight my car several times this week to keep it from pulling into the Starbuck's parking lot. I have even stopped going to the Albertson's next to the shop because there is a mini Starbuck's in there.

I think I am going to cave. I have just enough left on my Starbuck's Gift Card for a venti Carmel Frappucino. Guys! It's calling my name!

"MY" liver is fine. I may just have to splurge, tomorrow.

I haven't been in the mood to blog lately. After being sick, I haven't had the energy to do anything, so not much to blog about.

Hubby now has, what I had. I gave him a big can of Lysol and told him to keep his distance. I have even been sleeping on the couch for the past few days. I don't want him breathing on me. I DON"T WANT IT BACK, Thank you very much.

He has missed a whole week of work, just like I did. But I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel. He isn't running a fever today, so I think he will live.

We are also starting our "Liver Cleansing Diet" this week. I am still reading and have to "detox" my house of all the "bad" food. I then have to head to the health food store and pick up all the "special" things that he needs to have.

This "diet" is loaded with fruits and veggies so I think it may kick start me to losing weight too. THAT I would like.

I am going to "Try" to head on back to work today. I am feeling better but now I have that "weak from not being in anything but the prone position for a week" shaky feeling. Got to love it.

John Edward was great! Didn't get read but the experience is always amazing.

Went and picked up the "Joe Cocker" tickets my mother-in-law won on the radio station. We have front row seats for the show tomorrow. I am so glad that we will be able to see his "weird" movements up close and personal. If you have ever "seen" Joe Cocker sing you will understand that last comment.

Back in Dec I bought tickets to John Edward.

Tomorrow is the day!

Seminar starts at 11:30. Doors open at 9:30. So we are meeting MIL there at 8am, "just in case" there is a line. I am hoping for breakfast at 8 instead.

I have never been psychic but I feel pretty good about someone in our group getting read tomorrow. Don't know why! Probably wrong! But I am excited about going.

This adventure will probably "kick my ass" since I have been pretty much flat on my back all week. No fever today but still pretty weak. "The Doctor" (a new after hours guy, who looked alot like Matthew Fox from Lost says I will live and prescribed all kinds of "stuff" to treat the symptoms, since this crud is probably viral and antibiotics wouldn't help a whole lot.

But if they have to carry me in on a stretcher, I am going! With my purse full of pharmaceuticals.

No coffee filters. OH NO!

What's a girl to do?

Hey I will use paper towel! Nope, none of those either. (I know I have to go shopping)

Will a napkin work? What do I have to lose?

• unfold two napkins
• lay into coffee filter basket
• put in two scoops of coffee
• use scissors to cut off all the "extra" napkin
• insert basket into coffee maker
• wait patiently for coffee to brew

Time to check the coffee.

I needed to add something so March wouldn't be so empty.

Can you believe it is MARCH? What the hell happened to Jan and Feb?

Have to take Hubby and Kermit the dog to the Doctor tomorrow. NO! Not to the same one.

I think Kermit is going to have to have doggie prosthesis. Did I talk about this already? I am too lazy to check back entries. I will take a picture instead.

Here in Phoenix the "normal" average rainfall is right around 8 inches a year. I know that is less than some of you get in a month but HEY! we are a desert here.

I think I heard last night that we have had over 4 inches so far this year, and we are only at the end of the second month. Usually we get alittle over an inch and a half for the two months combined. But enough of the weather lesson.

All this rain is making us have the color "GREEN" in our landscape. The hills and fields are all growing crazy. You see here in Arizona we don't have the color GREEN like the rest of the country. We have a dirty "brown green". Kind of a "crispy green" ready to turn brown with a couple of 100 degree days. But NOW we have GREEN. My yard is GREEN, it is mostly weeds but it is GREEN.

Why even my patio is GREEN! That's alittle scary and I am not sure what I am going to do about it but there it is.

If you had the chance to retire and not ever work again. . . would you? Of course this fantasy would include all the money you need to do what ever you want.

You bet I would. I love my job but I would love to be able to travel when and where I want.

If you didn't have to work, what would you be doing with all your time?

I am going to bed now to dream about it. Before I have to get up for work in the morning.

Let's see!

Friday night: Hubby wants to take me to see this amazing guitarist, Tommy Emmanuel, out in Cave Creek.

Saturday: Mother-in-law won tickets to see "Leslie Gore, The Shirelles and the Dixie Cups. She offered them to her middle son (age 35) and he said, "Who?". So she asked if I would go with her. We get dinner, the concert and alittle gambling too, since it is out at Fort McDowell Indian Casino.

Saturday Date 2: Hubby wanted to take me to a new nightspot here in town for a night of dancing and karaoke. I dance, he karaoke's since I can't carry a tune.

Hopefully "the baby" gets here tomorrow, so my weekend will be open for all this fun stuff.

I just finished staining a changing table that I got "used" from a friend of a friend.

Put the pieces in the spare room to dry. Looked up and saw TWO MORE peices, laying on the back of the couch. ARRRRGGGGG! Where the hell did they come from? Why did they climb up onto the couch away from thier brother pieces?

So now I have to drag out the sander and the stain and the polyurethane and all the other "stuff".

So much for being organized.

And still no baby.

I am waaaay to old to fall down. And waaaay to young to fall down because I am waaaay to old. Got that?

Yesterday. I was using the treadmill and had finished up but hadn't put it up yet. I got up from the desk to let "Kermit the Dog" outside. As I walked past the treadmill the lace on my tennis shoe caught on the end and snagged me up.

I went down hard! Real hard! Full out - sprawled out - full force on my elbows jam the shoulders - hard. I don't even think my knees hit the ground till after I bounce a couple times.

I actually laid there for a few minutes accessing the damage. I didn't see any bones sticking out or blood so I thought I might live. "Kermit the Dog" must have thought I wa playing a new game cause he was licking the crap out of me.

But I lived. The shoulders are very sore and the one elbow is tender but no visible bruising.

What a Dork!

We are getting a much needed evening out. We are getting together with some of my old high school friends for dinner at Monti's, and awesome steak house in town. It will be great to just get out for the evening and visit with friends.

Prime rib here I come.

Ever wondered where you money goes?

No I mean literally.

A few years ago I came across a $1 that had red typed words on it. Being curious I read it. It said:

See where I've been
Track where I go next
www.WheresGeorge.com

Well, I went to www.wheresgeorge.com and found that this particular bill had traveled all the way from Glendale to me. (about 5 miles) woo hoo

I actually took the time to add a couple of bills of my own and have had "hits" that they too have traveled very short distances.

But today I found a dollar bill in my washing machine. I am sure that it was put in there as payment for some of the socks the damn thing has eaten but I digress. This bill had the red typed words so I knew it was being tracked.

So I went to WheresGeorge.com I found that this was no slacker bill. It had traveled from Snellville, GA (June 2003) to Seattle, WA (Jan 2004) to me. This $1 bill had traveled 3292 miles in 1 year, 202 days, 19 hours, 48 mins at an average speed of 5.8 miles per day. (yeah WheresGeorge gives you all that information).

So just remember if you see a bill (any denomination) with writing on it, check to see if it has been to Where'sGeorge. It is really kind of fun.

Hubby and I decided to head over to the new IKEA store this afternoon.

IT IS BIG! Yes, we got lost but only for alittle while. I didn't cry to much cause I wasn't that scared. I can see how the contestants on Amazing Race had such a time finding anything.

We did buy something. Cinnamon buns. Yep, we went to a furniture/household store and bought cinnamon buns. Well they bake them right there and have hidden fans that blows the smell all over the store. So who can blame me.

I will have to go back when I have some money to blow.

NO NOT ON MORE CINNAMON BUNS! Okay... maybe one.

I have been so very busy. So busy that I haven't even had time to blog. Either reading or writing.

I have a business website that I am having the hardest time getting started on. It is for a racquetball court builder and I am having a design block. So that is stressing me out.

I have also been trying to get the "guestroom" cleaned up and ready to become not only a guestroom but a nursery. I decided that since I have ONE grandchild coming in 33 (days and counting), I should make the guestroom child ready for the future (not planned yet) grandchildren. Since I plan on having them over often. :)

Then my brother and new sister-in-law came into town for a few days. We went out to dinner on Sunday, to an awesome "Old" steak house called Monti's La Casa Vieja. It has been around since I was a kid, (yeah it is THAT OLD) and is still the best steak in town.

Then the whole gang got together for a spaghetti dinner at Mom's last night. Food was good, company was the best. I have the best family there is.

Today, Brea's best friend, J and I are getting together to do the name tags and diaper cake for the baby shower on Sunday.

I need more hours in the day.

hee hee she said "BEAVER"!

Christmas was busy enough. Then the flu. Then Mom's birthday yesterday. We surprised her with dinner at the Olive Garden. The boys and wives snuck in on the action and we had an awesome time. We always do when we get together. Lots of laughing and kidding.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Lunch with E (youngest son) in a few. Again, I get to see the kid. I love it. Hubby and him are playing XBox Hockey right now. That is one of the many things Hubby got for Xmas, but I still have to tell you about Christmas morning. Next entry.

Go to see Mother In Law at Brother In Law's house this evening. She is babysitting for the nieces and nephews, so brother and sister in law can have a night out.

Then somewhere in there I have to clean my house, take down all the Christmas stuff, work on a new website I have been asked to design. (for money, big money woo hoo), shop for daughter in laws baby shower next weekend. . . . the list goes on.

I thought that after Christmas it was suppose to settle down.

Oh yeah, I have to find time to spend all the Christmas gift certificates and money that I got as presents.

Life is hard.

tj is alive and sort of well in AZ.

But just barely.

The day after Christmas I came down with what I think was the flu. Fever, puking, massive headache and neckache. I was either in bed or on the couch flat out for two days. (with a bucket since I could bearly make it to the bathroom. I know too much detail)

Hubby has also been battling something. His seems to be more of a head cold/sinus thing but he also has a fever. He stayed home from work on Sunday but insisted on going in Monday only to come home early.

So between the two of us, we have been trying to take care of each other. If someone was able to get up to go to the bathroom, we would refill water/orange juice or bring on the Advil.

I have to drag myself to work this morning so I will have to catch you up on Christmas. It was wonderful. Hubby really did shine this year.

Have a great day.

Yesterday morning, before Hubby went to work, he set my coffeemaker to auto so I would have coffee hot and ready for me when I woke up. (he leaves about an hour before I even think of waking up).

This morning ... there was no coffee hot and ready to drink.

I don't think he loves me anymore.

Hubby fixed the sliding glass door.

I damn near threw it slid it across to the neighbors yard. Instead of a two arm tug of war, it is now a one finger slider.

I love my Hubby!

I have a migraine. And somone just farted. ewwwww!

I was up bright and early this morning because I wanted to get to the grocery store before everyone else raced in.

7am: baking aisle of the local grocery store. Looking for WHITE bread machine mix. NADA - Empty - nothing - gone - no where to be found. The only thing left on my list and there wasn't a box to be found anywhere. I just couldn't use sourdough for my dressing bread. And I wasn't about to start from scratch. Not another store OH NO!

8 am: unloading a car full of groceries into the house, as the dog runs out the front door to pee on the nearest tree.

8:30 am: back on the road to find White Bread Machine mix and drop off the frozen turkey for the St. Mary's Food Bank.

9 am: running very low on gas. Quick find nearest gas station. Where are they when you need them.

9:30 am: Go over list.

• shopping done ... CHECK


• White Bread Machine mix found ...CHECK


• Car filled with gas ... CHECK


• Turkey dropped off at the food bank ... CHECK

Okay I can go home now to ...

Bake stuffing bread.
Bake pies.
Clean house for company tomorrow.
Clean up dog droppings in the backyard.
Mow the lawn.
Sweep the patio.
Chop down the tree.
Bail the hay.
Milk the cow.
Feed the goats.
Kill the turkey.

Okay I don't have ALL that stuff, but it sure feels like it.

I really DO LOVE Thanksgiving. No REALLY I do.

Want to know what kind of day I had today?

So far today I (or I should say we here) have fought with:

The vet for not faxing Kermits prescription into the pharmacy. They told me that they did it Friday. Then they said they did it Saturday. Today they said that the pharmacy was closed Friday and Saturday. What happened to competent help these days.

The cable guy We have been having these funny (well not THAT funny) wavy lines running across the screen. The squirrelly lines started right after the cable company laid new cable a couple weeks ago. This was also about the time we got a bunch of rain. Anyway, cable guys said it is our lines inside the house. Hubby told him No! Took our 13 inch tv outside and plugged it into the cable line that goes into our house, (bypassing the house install) The lines were still there. So dude is sending out his boss.

Nothing gets fixed the first time. Why is that?

So off I go to work. Wonder who I get to yell at next?

If you DON"T vote, then you do not have the right to complain for the next four years. Okay, you can complain about the weather and stuff like that but NOT about ANYTHING Presidential.

SO GO VOTE! It's not to late. If you live in Wisconsin, you can even still register and vote. Alright, I am off my soapbox.

I voted...early...like 6:45am. Only about 6 people in line. I was home in 20 mins.

So whoever wins....Boy am I going to complain.

I think it was about 4 months ago, that someone turned me on to
The Happiest Faces on Earth, and the fact that Disneyland was going to be 50 Years old in 2005. Disney was looking for pictures that have been taken at Disneyland thru the years.

Well, I had just gone thru the case of "old" slides. (for the younguns, those are like negatives encased so that they can be shown on a slide projector) and there were pictures from Disneyland in the early 1960. So I sent in 5 pictures.

Cut to yesterday.

I received an email from the Disney Corp. and they would like to use 3 of my pictures. Dang, was I surprised. I have to get permission to use the picture from all who are in them. Pretty easy since they are my brother, mom, my "little gram and me. My dad always took the "slides". Mom has already said "Yes, we will be famous!" in our own minds anyway. Bro is out of town but I am sure he will be "okay" with it. And "Little Gram" I am sure is jumping up and down in heaven, saying "sure - Yah - you betcha".

The pictures that are going to make us famous are in the extended:

This is a very strange fruit. Kind of look like an apple with a very hard skin. Kind of like eating a fruit full of juicy sunflower seeds that you spit out the shell. The taste is sweet with a little bitter thrown in for good measure.

They are quite messy and time consuming to eat. But fun. If you have never had one, try one, at least once. I kind of like them.

Does anyone else get pissed off when the person who sings the National Anthem before a sporting event, doesn’t know the words?

I have been known to sing the wrong word to a song myself, on occasion but DAMN! , it's the NATIONAL ANTHEM! If you don't know the words to the National Anthem, then you sure as hell shouldn't be singing it before the frickin "World Series". And in my humble opinion, it is not a song that is up for personal interpretation, either. Sing it the way it is suppose to be sung. It is NOT a rock song, Steven Tyler. Show some respect!

Okay, Let's Play Ball!

I went to the Dr. today to see if he could look into why I am having so many headaches.

I left the office with an even bigger headache.

Let me explain.

I hear:

Kermit (the dog) whining to come in after begging to go out for the last 15 mins.
The Boston/Yankee baseball game getting underway on the T.V. in the other room.
The wind chime next door tinkling in the wind.

I feel:

The gentle breeze blowing in from outside thru the screen door.
The need for something sweet to eat.
Hiccups.

I smell:

The possibility of rain in the air. (kind of smells like wet dirt here in AZ)
Someone in the neighborhood BBQing, chicken, I think.

I taste:

The mexican food we had for dinner.
The water I am drinking to help settle the mexican food we had for dinner.
I hope to be tasting something sweet that I feel I need.

I see:

The baseball game on the T.V. in the other room.
My very messy desk.
A wedding invitation from a good friend from high school.

Aren't the 5 senses amazing?

What are you hearing, feeling, smelling, tasting and seeing?

I spent the day again, yesterday in bed with a migraine. Second one in a matter of weeks. Usually I only get 2 or 3 a year. But I think this is about the 6th this year. I guess it is time to go have them checked out with the Doctor. Yuck!

I hit the jackpot!

This morning as I was moving the load of clothes from the washer to the dryer it started raining money. Okay, not exactly raining but it was spewing from my washer. Five and ten and ones and change and EVERYTHING. For a grand total of $20.09. That's right baaaaby! I am one rich cleaning lady. You betcha!

You see the deal at this house is ... if you don't clean out your pockets I GET IT! Woo Hoo! I feel a Starbuck's coming on.

God I love to do laundry. Yeah right!

UPDATE!

Just moved the clothes OUT of the dryer and out pops another $5.25.

The only problem is ... I have come to the conclusion that it came out of the pocket of a pair of MY jeans. So I am not as excited anymore. :(

A friend of Hubby's, I'll call him P, called earlier this evening. He was moving into a friends house this week and had headed over there this evening to bring some more "stuff" to the house. When he gets there he is greeted with changed locks and an eviction notice on the door.

Hubby, of course, doesn't ask the right questions so it is still up in the air whether P's "friend", was renting the house or just didn't pay his mortgage. I guess it doesn't matter, but what DOES matter is that P is a diabetic. And ALL his meds are in the house under someone else's lock and key. I told Hubby to have P call the police and tell them that if he didn't get into get his meds there WOULD be a medical emergency.

P just called back and the cops helped him "break into" the house to retreive his meds, a few clothes and a couple of his guitars, since he is a musician and that is part of his business. They told him that he would have to contact the courts tomorrow to get the rest of his stuff legally.

So now P has no place to stay. So we have opened up our humble home for the next couple days, I guess. P is a nice guy so I guess it will be okay.

I guess I have to stay dressed for the next couple days. No running around in my undies. DAMN!

My eyes are open. The light doesn't seem to be bothering them. I can sit up and stand up without getting a horrific pounding behind my right eye.

I guess I lived.

Although, yesterday it was touch and go. I woke with one of the worst migraines I have ever had. This one lasted from sometime early morning, (I think I took the first pill about 4am) when Hubby got up to get me some meds, till I finally woke up for real at 4pm.

Someone could have just shot me and I would have been better off.

But this morning I am raring to go. Go figure.

That is what I hope to be yelling in about 3 hours.

The girls are going out to Vie Quiva casino to play BINGO tonight. They are paying for my card packet as a belated birthday for me. Woo Hoo! Free BINGO for me. Now if I can only WIN!

I always seem to get down to one number left til I BINGO and someone yells BINGO and it isn't me. But the first number up on the next game is the number I needed. So I am really in for a night of pure frustration rather than fun. But at least I will be with my buds.

Wish me luck!

UPDATE in extended

How long does it take to get out of vacation mode? Well obviously more than three days.

I haven't got SHIT done since we got home. Granted I spend Mon and Tues looking for the cat. But come on....

The laundry is still piled in the laundry room, the kitchen is stacking up with dishes and the kitchen table still has the "stuff" that has to be put away from vacation.

And I DON'T CARE!

I did reformat my computer today so it is a brand spanking new setup. But my desk is a disaster.

Oh well there is always tomorrow.

CAT UPDATE: Cat is doing fine. Sleeping most of the day and walking very gingerly on his feet but they are healing very well.

While cleaning out the shed, I came across the crib that my children slept in when they were babies. Kind of battered and worn but I think refinishable. So I have a project to work on now. I will redo the boys crib and set it up in my extra room for when the "grandbaby" comes to visit. I am assuming that I can get it done before February when "JoJo" is due.

Let the sanding and scrubbing begin!

You know how your best laid plans don't always work out QUITE the way you thought they would. Well that was the "Shed Flooring Project"

We emptied the shed and removed the floor and set out the "plan" for the brick pavers. The only problem . . . spacing. Fourteen inch bricks all the way across would leave us either short or way over. So we improvised and added a cute little design with 8x4 bricks. Anyway, instead of taking two days, it took 3, and "MAN AM I SORE"! Those "little 14 inch bricks" are heavy and I have the bruises to prove it.

But the results were MORE than satifactory. Take a look!

Hubby had to burn some vacation days before the end of the year, so he took Weds. and Thurs. off. Since we are going to San Diego in 11 days, 8 hours, 3 mins (and counting), we decided NOT to go to the cabin up in the tall, cool pines. Instead, we are cleaning out the shed. Perfect swap don't you think.

Tomorrow, bright and early, we are going out into the 100°+ heat to clear out our saved "JUNK" and put a new floor in the "HOT" metal shed. The old wood floor is rotting away and turning into sawdust. Granted, it really needs to be done, but I thought it could wait till the weather was abit cooler. . . . like maybe 90°. But I have to strike while the pan it hot. (Hubby being the pan... not the temperature)

I told him I would help with the shed if after it got "too hot" to work outside, we both came in and clean the house. Now THAT is a trade off.

My client's car was run into in the parking lot at work this morning. I just happened to be sitting chatting with another customer and looking out the front window when this lady pulled into the parking lot. As she was pulling into the parking space she clipped the back bumper of my customers car, I'll call her C. My customer NOT her car. silly

I informed C that her car had been hit and we went out to look. The other lady (also a salon customer but not mine) was just getting out of her car. She came around to look too, saying, "Did I do that?". Well YEAH!

Well, I had my trusty camera and I took some pictures and they exchanged information. But since I am the only one who saw it happen, I guess I am going to be called by the insurance companies. Fun time.
I love being a witness to a crime. Okay, so it's not a REAL crime, but I am still "the only witness". The power!

If you want to see the damage look further.

I saw a cute story over at St. Family. I commented that "It warmed the cockles of my heart". Then I started wondering... What the hell is a cockle?

A quick trip to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary gave me this.

I saw this very funny video of the Umbilical Brothers over at Flummel, Flummer, Flummo.

So I stole borrowed the link for your viewing enjoyment. Umbilical Brothers. They are quite clever and funny. Have a looksee.

Damn, I am SLEEPY.
You ever have one of those nights where you just CAN'T get to sleep?

That was last night. I was really tired and headed to bed about 10, thinking that I would be asleep before the old head hit the pillow. But NOOOO!

I tossed and turned for about an hour. Thinking about vacation, thinking about work, thinking about world peace. Honestly, I was!

I finally got up about 11, debating whether to wait for Hubby to get home in the next 40 mins or see what was in the medicine cabinet. I chose the cabinet.

At Phoenix Sky Harbor airport today, an individual later discovered to be a public school teacher was arrested trying to board a flight while in possession of a ruler, a protractor, a setsquare, a slide rule, and a calculator.
At a morning press conference, Attorney General John Ashcroft said he believes the man is a member of the notorious al-gebra movement. He is being charged by the FBI with carrying weapons of math instruction.

Al-gebra is a fearsome cult," Ashcroft said. "They desire average solutions by means and extremes, and sometimes go off on tangents in a search of absolute value. They use secret code names like 'x' and 'y' and refer to themselves as 'unknowns', but we have determined they belong to a common denominator of the axis of medieval with coordinates in every country. As the Greek philanderer Isosceles used to say, 'there are 3 sides to every triangle'."

When asked to comment on the arrest, President Bush said,
"If God had wanted us to have better weapons of math instruction, he would have given us more fingers and toes."

This group was around when I was in high school. They tried to recruit me too, but I fought them off. Not giving in to their brainwashing. :)

Too funny!

I'm not really superstitious. Well maybe just a little bit but it doesn't rule my life.

So pull out your rabbit's foot, your four-leaf clover and stay away from those black cats. (Sorry Fox and Hobbs)

Happy Friday the 13th.

Is that a word? If not here is my definition of it.

Yarnie:
1: person who uses yarn to make pretty things by either knitting or crocheting.
2: person who wants to help make a Blanket Statement.

Okay now that you have had your vocabulary lesson for the day. Check this out!

If you don't hear from me call 911.

It is 7:11am on this gloriously HOT Sunday morning and I HAVE to go do some yard work. Not want to or need to but HAVE too. I

It has been awful here and the poor dogs have no where left to poop. So off I go to clean up the yard before it gets too much hotter (currently at this writing at 7:14am it is 89°). I will wait to the respectable hour of 8am before I fire up the lawn mower, because that is the kind of neighbor I am.

Normally, I love to work in the yard but it is just to damn hot to do it right now. Besides, nothing grows here in the summer. At least not well.

Wish me luck.

UPDATE!
I am alive. Got myself a 40 min cardio workout in the process. Don't you love it!

How the hell can two (2) people generate so much laundry?

I feel like I have been washing for a week straight. I try to do a load each morning, so the weekends aren't spent washing all day. But with the energy saver program we are on, I can only wash and dry clothes from 9 at night to 9 in the morning during the weekdays. That equals about a load a day, if I get up early enough to get one in before work.

Then comes the "FOLDING" the hanging up and the putting away. I don't buy ANYTHING that has to be ironed. Except the occasional dress shirt for Hubby.

This is how the folding is going!

For those of you who are still on the fence on who to vote for in the upcoming November election. YES, you must vote to complain! You should check this out. It may be of some help. Or at the very least, get your day started with a laugh.

P.S. What did I do?

first seen at "the view from my window"

I have always wanted to have that handy service installed in some of the new cars. OnStar! You know the one! That cool service you can contact in case you have car trouble or get locked out of your car.

Please right click on the below link and save.

Well it is a good thing THIS LADY had it.

It is 7 in the morning and I just got in from an hour of yardwork.

It's fu**in hot out there.

The temp right now at 7 am is 90°!!! with 30% humidity. Okay, I know those of you in other parts of the country or world for that matter are saying 30% BIG DEAL. But for us here in the desert where its usually a "Dry Heat" that is Fu**in high. And it is suppose to get up to 110° this afternoon.

Welcome to my summer. Where we stay inside with the air conditioning blasting out the cool air.

But now we have the threat of rolling blackouts. Or they may be calling them brown outs. Who cares? It may mean that at 3 o'clock some 110° afternoon my power could go out. I guess if that happens, I pack up the two dogs, the cat and the Hubby and go sit in my car with the air conditioning blasting.

I was out doing some errands for work tomorrow and along the way I have to pass by this Dairy Queen. I don't know what happened but my car did this sharp swerve to the right and ran right into the Dairy Queen drive thru. I found myself forced to order something, so I ordered a French Vanilla Moolatte.

Damn! I wish my tongue was longer so I could get all the way to the bottom of the glass. This was a very good thing.

Not a whole lot going on right now.

A girlfriend (I went to high school with) and I went to lunch yesterday to the "Cheescake Factory" Yum
I had a scumdillitious salad and of course we shared a piece of cheesecake. Coffee Heath Bar cheesecake to be exact. We also had the most delightful waiter who just left us alone to chat but was there everytime we looked like we needed something. Needless to say he got a very nice tip.

Today I have on my agenda: Clean this awful house. I hate that Hubby is still on swing shift cause I hate to clean when there is anyone home. Then by the time he leaves for work, I don't WANT to clean. So the poor house suffers. But today I am going to dig in. (I say that now)

Here's a question for you!

If you could have one or the other at no cost to you which would you want:

a full time housekeeper?

a full time cook?

It is only a little after nine here in the fine state of AZ and it has only been dark for about an hour, but I do believe I am going to bed.

You know you are getting old when bed at 9 o'clock sounds extremely good.

So off I go to check my bedroom closet and under the bed for these guys.

If you have a flag, please fly it proudly.

I received this in an email the other day and decided today would be a good day to share it with others.

Tribute to the Armed Forces

No matter how we feel about the war in Iraq, we must always remember that there are men and women in our armed forces that spend the holidays away from family and friends to keep us safe from harm and fight for our right to have an opinion. God Bless those who fight for our freedom.

Flag courtesy of 3dflags.com

There are helicopters circling the house. Guess I better go make sure the doors are locked.

Since everyone seems to have all the Gmail accounts they want, I am giving the rest of my Gmail invites to Gmail for the Troops. I was/am alittle leary about this because it is so new. But I figured I would give it a try. I sent in my info this morning and I am suppose to hear from a person in the military who wants a Gmail account in the next few days.

Has anyone else signed up for this? Has anyone recieved any response?

The idea is great! Given the large storage that Gmail offers, this allows service men and women to get and keep pictures and videos (files to large for Yahoo and Hotmail) from family back home.

So I will let you know what comes of this.

Hey, If anyone needs a Gmail account let me know. I have a few left.

:)

Everything went well with the surgery this morning for my hand thingy. You'll have to look back on past entries if you don't have a clue what I am talking about. But I am higher than a kite now and typing is a bit of a problem with this huge bandage that I have. But I have some good drugs and have slept most of the afternoon. Gonna go back to the couch now. Pain pill has kicked in.

I have to lighten the mood around here. Been quite a few depressing entries.

Let's see?

OH!!!

I AM GOING TO BE A GRANDMA!

Oh... you already knew that. Well, just in case you didn't. :)

I remember when I was growing up my dad was the behind the scene guy. He was the one who worked all day, but came home just about dinnertime to ask how things went in my day. On the weekends, he was the one who drove us to the lake, fired up the engine on the boat and took us to the farthest shore. He was the one who's shoulders I would climb up on and skim across the water as he water-skied.

After looking back over the last week, I found there was alot here that needed updating. So here goes:

Take a look at this post you might notice that I wrote about one of the couples becoming Grandparents. Well sneaky me, that was my way of spilling the beans about E&B making US grandparents without telling the world the "secret" that I was sworn to keep quiet until the blood test were done. I didn't REALLY tell. So sue me!

The "kids" have a dr. appointment on Tues. for the first prenatal visit. We should then be able to narrow the due date down from sometime between Jan 19 - Feb 26.

The puppy has found a new home with one of the neighbors friends. At first the neighbors were talking about keeping her, which I was not real thrilled about. They have had at least 3 "puppies" in the year and a half that they have been neighbors. The puppies seem to disappear about the time they become dogs or start doing puppy things. So maybe the friends will take better care of Skeert. Yeah I named her... got a problem with that?

The Doctors office finally called, well actually I called them Friday afternoon, to schedule the surgery for my hand thingy I have surgery scheduled for next Friday. Yeah, ANOTHER week! Damn, this is getting real old. But at least it is getting settled. I just want to get it over with now.

So that is the week in a nut case... nut shell... what ever. Hope everyone had a great week.

I got my First invite to become one of the masses from D over at Just like a Dream. When I told Hubby about it he got so excited and said he wanted one. So checked the blogging community and found that D, still at Just Like a Dream, had a couple more invites. So I begged nicely for another one. She has had like 9 invitations to give out so she was kind enough to give me another.

So now we are a gmail family. Yes, we have become followers of the masses. Like lemmings being lead to the sea. But gmail is kinda cool. I have recieved 3 count them 3 emails so far. WOO HOO! All from Hubby. But then again I haven't given out the address.

The trip to the Dr. yesterday for my hand thingy had a couple of unexpected twists.

I still have it. Not the hand, silly. Well ... yeah I still have the hand, but I also still have the gross thing. The doctor came in and said, "Yes, that needs to be taken out." Ahhh, I think that is what I am here for?

Seems it is going to be abit more complicated than we originally thought. It is going to require out-patient surgery. WOO HOO! With an anethegiologist, therapy after ... the whole nine yards. All for a friggin splinter.

Anyway, I'll live but the best part was before the doctor got in the room.

Working on the computer. Getting stuff done. Getting hungry.

OH MY! guess I'll order pizza.

Click Click Click!

Pizza will be here in 30 mins.

...........time passes.

29 minutes later the doorbell rings.

Hubby says, "WHO THE HELL WOULD BE RINGING OUR DOORBELL!"

Me says, "Dinner!"

Hubby says, "RIGHT ON! Where is the dough?"

Me says, "Right on the counter"

Hubby goes off to pay the pizza delivery guy. Comes in saying,
"YUM Pizza! Thank you honey!"

Hubby grabs a couple pieces of pizza and goes back to watch the Pistons whoop up on the Lakers.

How much better can ones night be?

I just got home from a wonderful evening out with old friends.

And I mean old. These are friends that I went to high school with and their spouses. We try to get together once every few months to catch up on what is going on in each others lives.

So the news is: one of the couples, who have been "together" for 15 years is FINALLY getting married in November. The sinners have been living in "sin" all this time, shame on them. :)

Another couple is going to become "Grandparents" the beginning of next year. WOO HOO! Grandparents are the best people. Talk about a wide spectrum of life experiences.

Its great to touch base with people from your past. Makes you realize where you came from and where you have gotten too in your life.

I feel that I am right where I want to be.

Life is good!

And I am not talking about my grass.

My "pyogenic granuloma" (that sounds so medical, doesn't it?) is getting bigger.

There are still 5 more days till I go have it removed, so it should be about the size of my little finger by then.

I have been trying to keep the little bastard covered with a bandaid since it is so attractive, but with working in water all day, that hasn't been working too well.

For those interested, there is a gross picture to follow. Be warned!

I have a belly ache, mommy!

I was up half the night with a tummy ache and just feeling rather phewy. So I think I am going to take a nap.

And if anyone says "It is prolly that bucket full of popcorn with that real, imitation, artificial butter you ate yesterday at the movies" ... I will probably puke on you.

Good Night!

Since we have both been so very good this week. we decide to take a small road trip out to Cave Creek. We do this once in awhile, when the craving for Indian Fry Bread gets too strong.

Some of you may not know about Indian Fry Bread. It is a deep fried flat bread that you can either sprinkle with powdered sugar, honey or how we like it ...

Remember back on April 28th when we had our big eucalyptus tree removed. (sure of course you do!)

We had to take the side fence down to allow the big root chopper/grinder thing in, to do the root chopping/grinding. As Hubby and I were putting the fence back up, I got a splinter from the wood slats in my hand. No problem, didn't hurt a whole lot. I have a high pain tolerence. :)

If you have a low gore threshhold you might not want to read the rest of this.

Getting a late start. I woke with a terrible headache, so I took two Excedrin Migranes's to try and keep it from getting to the "BIG ONE". Five hours later I am feelling better so we are getting ready to go. Hope the altitude change doesn't kick it into high gear again.

Have a great weekend.

is going to be alittle wrong, when:

you get a hardboiled egg out of the refrigerator to have for breakfast. Crack the shell to peel it and egg runs out. NOT at all hard boiled but raw.

Good thing I didn't wait to do this in the car at the first stop light I got stuck at like I normally do.

Cox Internet has come up with some pretty cool features.

They now have a Virus Protection. That is suppose to catch that "EVIL" virus infected email and delete it. Then send you notification that it has done so. Pretty cool, but I run Norton SystemWorks and I very rarely get a virus. And when I do Norton does a wonderful job of detecting it and taking care of the problem.

Then they have a SPAM blocker. You have an option to have your SPAM sent to a "Special SPAM folder" so you can check to make sure it isn't catching stuff that isn't SPAM. Or you can have them just remove it, so you don't even get it into your Inbox and there by don't have to deal with it at all.

Cool, right! I signed up for the "Send it to the Special SPAM folder" option and found that it wasn't sending any of my "REAL" email to SPAM so I changed my preference to the "Just delete the SHIT" option. NO MORE SPAM!! Woo hoo! This really works. Yippee!

But wait....

Next time you are at Costco...

DO NOT buy these things thinking that they would be good to have in the freezer for when people stop by. Because they are so easy to quickly thaw and eat.

These are evil little beings that you can hear from everywhere in the house... calling you from the freezer..."Come free me from the freezer! Eat me! Eat Me! EAT ME! Don't be mistaken that you can eat only one. They are like Lays potato chips.

Damn most of the time they don't even get fully thawed and they are gone.

BEWARE!

Have you ever notice that NO ONE admits to buying the "National Enquirer" or "The Star" or any of the other rag magazines.

But let me tell you, that is the first thing they pick up to read at the salon. I am guilty too. I love to read about others. Makes my life seem rather "normal".

Wait... my life is rather normal. Oh well, now I don't know WHY I love the rag mags.

How bout you? Love them or hate them?

Happy Mothers Day all you Mothers!

:)

Have you ever gone to someones blog and checked out the comments. You read one that you think to yourself, "Self, I would like to have a look at their blog" But when you go to click on their name, their blog opens up in the comment window.??? You can't read the blog and there is no way to resize the window. MT boo boo.

This is my Crusade.

If your blog does this, below is a simple fix so that the link will open up into a new window so people can check out the commenters blog.

MT Fix:

Two choices here.

If you have only one Blog choice one is the easiest to do.

Choice one:

Got to Weblog Config.
Click on Preferences.
About half way down the page under: Specifies the list of HTML tags allowed.....
select: Use my settings: and add this

a href,a href target,b,br/,p,strong,em,ul,li,blockquote

that is the default settings plus the target tag to allow the window to open in a new full sizeable window. Copy and paste and disregard all the spaces.

Click SAVE at the bottom.

Rebuild.

Choice two:

Find your mt.cfg file in your Moveable Type install folder.

A little more than half way down the page under GlobalSanitizeSpec
copy this line there

GlobalSanitizeSpec a href,a href target,b,br/,p,strong,em,ul,li,blockquote

make sure that the # sign is removed before Global.

Save and upload to the server where it belongs.

Your comment links will now open into a new window.

My mission is accomplished only if I visit your site and you have taken care of business.

Thank you for your support. :)

Looks yummy doesn't it?

This is a Caramel Apple Cake from Costco. I had passed it by the last time I was in there but just couldn't resist it this time. It looked so yummy and the caramel made my mouth water.

I got it home without breaking in to it while I was driving (only cause I thought it would be REAL messy with the caramel and all). I got my big glass of milk. I cut myself a chunk and sat down to savor the wonderful caramel apple flavor.

The first bite goes in ...

Happy 5th of May

For your listening pleasure a little music with some Mexican flair

El Mariachi sorry no longer available

For your viewing pleasure . . . alittle Antonio Banderas

Oh my aching back.

Sometime yesterday, I did something to aggrevate my lower back. Don't know what but it now hurts like hell.

It happens about every 6 months and stems from an old football injury. *smiles*

The thought of going to work and standing all day is most unappealing. Damn and it is a busy Monday also.

Where is the asprin?

What a wonderful Sunday morning.

Hubby and I went out to breakfast and then hit a few yard sales. Since it is Sunday, there was not alot left at any of them.

We only managed to spend $5. Here is what we got.

Today we are losing a friend.
This baby ...

has been with us since we moved into the house in 1980. She has weathered wind and rain and snow (yes even snow in AZ).
But sometime last year she bit the big one and lost all her leaves and died. So she must come down before she falls on her own and takes the house with her.

This is great! With just about everyone I know trying out the Atkins diet, (including me), this came at a perfect time.

Sit back and laugh your ass off instead of excersise. Okay, I am only kidding, you have to excersise also.

Fat-Kins Diet

link from Joelle

Damn, it has been a long time since I have played BINGO. They not only play with disposable paper cards and dobbers but they also have a BINGO machine. You just punch in the number called and it keeps track of the "crazy" game you are playing at the time. It will beep when you get down to one number away. (I heard that beep :0 ) But I have no clue what it does if you get a BINGO cause I never did. So needless to say I am going to have to go back to work come Monday.

I went up to get a "free" soda during the 15 min. break and was just about to fill my cup when my name is called over the intercom. "tj" you have won the boobie door prize. WOO HOO! ... a color TV? ... a new stereo? ... A NEW CAR?

I won a free admission to BINGO.

Damn, that means I have to go back again soon.

The girls are going to have a B-I-N-G-O night out.

WOO HOO! Carm and I are taking Heather out for her birthday. We are going to play B-I-N-G-O!

B-I-N-G-O, you see, is not my favorite game. I do great and get down to 1 number left to B-I-N-G-O, REALLY FAST but then the next 12 numbers are no where close. Then on the 13th number called . . .

B-I-N-G-O!

But not out of my mouth. Usually somewhere really close to me, tho. The numbers are read off and its a good B-I-N-G-O. Money is paid out to the winner.

New game starts. First number called..... the one I was waiting for last game.

And so the rest of the night goes.

I come home broke and frustrated.

I can't wait.

Don't add any HTML tags into your entries that you haven't

1. added to your list in web configuration

The sun is shining!
The birds are chirping!
The air is cool
The grass is green
The tree is blooming!
The house is clean!

And the reality is:

It never ceases to amaze me how computer illiterate people are. Even the ones who use them EVERYDAY!

My Hubby just replaced the hard drive in the computer of a co-worker of mine. She brought her tower to me a couple of days ago. Hubby fixed it yesterday and I went to drop it off at work this afternoon (since I won't be back to work till Friday) Well I walk in carrying her tower and here is how the conversation goes:

Her Customer sitting in her chair:" Oh someone's hard drive!"

Her: "Couldn't he fix it?"

Me: "All fixed! It is all ready to get plugged in and turned on. Just call him if there is a problem"

*her getting a very confused look*
Her: "But isn't this my OLD HARD DRIVE?"

* Me getting a confused look *
Me: "Ah, no this is your old tower! The new hard drive is inside"

Her: "That's not the part he replaced? I thought that was the hard drive"

Her Customer: "THAT IS THE HARD DRIVE!"

Me: "NO, THIS IS THE TOWER. The hard drive is inside the tower along with the CD-Rom, floppy disc and lots of wires and cables. "

* I reach in and I pull out the old hard drive from the bag of her CD's*

ME: "This is a hard drive. This one is now a paper weight! *laugh* It is the wrong terminology to call this *pointing to the tower* the hard drive. It can be the tower, box, computer but it actually isn't the hard drive.

Her Customer: "Well my husband works with computers all day and he calls that the hard drive!" *saying quite snippy*

ME: "I dinna come har to peck a fight" *in my best Braveheart accent*
"But your husband is an idiot, and so are you!"

Damn I missed the garbage! Good thing no one was watching.


Look again!.

the grass is riz,
Wonder where the birdies is.

Or something like that. I remember that poem from grade school days.

Well it inspired me to make a new skin for the ole blog. I even worked on my 100 things about me too. Never knew it would be so hard to come up with 100 things about me. But I am still a work in progress.

So..

How do you like my new Springtime blog skin? The flowers are from my very own garden.

Okay not the WORLD but my little corner of it.

We decided to splurge and rent a motor home to travel the country side for the next week.

Have never done it before. May never do it again. But it will be like camping without sleeping on the ground in a tent that leaks. And if the bears decide to visit in the middle of the night, I can sit in my comfy traveling house and flip them the middle finger. Without having to worry about them biting it off.

Not sure where ALL we are going but do know that we will be in the Pinetop area on Sat and Sunday. We are going to help clean up the new cabin that Hubby's parents bought. Fixer-Upper ... you know the deal.

Don't know as there will be any phone lines there to do any blog entries but not planning on doing much of anything on the computer at all. Altho Hubby will undoubtably bring the laptop along for the ride.

Will be interesting to see how the dogs do on the trip. (yes we are taking them! the cat is staying with Son #2 and wife) Little OLD Black Crippled Blind Dog (aka Liko) should have the most fun. Since we like to hike when we are out in the woods, I am trying to come up with a way to pack him along. Do they may doggie back packs?

"Big Head with scabby lupus nose Dog" (aka Kermit) will have to wear sunscreen on his nose when we go out. He's going to look like the nerdy kid, that wears the glasses and the white sunscreen on his nose, that you always see on the beach.

Should be quite a trip!

Can you believe this email?

Dear Citibank Member,

This email was sent by the Citibank server to verify your E-mail address. You must complete this process by clicking on the link below and entering in the small window your Citibank ATM/Debit Card number and PIN that you use on ATM.

This is done for your protection - because some of our members no longer have access to their email addresses and we must verify it.

To verify your E-mail address and access your bank account, click on the link below:

https://web.da-us.citibank.com/signin/
citifi/scripts/email_verify.jsp

---------------------------------------

Thank you for using Citibank

---------------------------------------

I don't even have a citibank account.

BASTARDS! I can actually see some of my older clientele responding to this email with ALL the correct information.

These people should fry in HELL!

Here's the scene...

Lunch time.

Hubby and I decided to go the local Souper Salad for lunch. We get in the car and drive the short 5 miles to restaurant. The parking lot is full but not as bad as it is usually. We find a parking place away from the building. We park the car. We joke about how the walk will do us good.

We eat healthy stuff. Salad and fruit with a little frozen yogurt for dessert. We are full.

We head to the parking lot. Walking straight to where we parked. The Bright Red Truck is no where to be seen. Granted there are quite a few "BRIGHT RED TRUCKS" in the parking lot but none of them are ours.
We walk to the next row. Nothing! We look to the left. Nothing! We look to the right. Nothing!

Panic is setting in. The truck is not here.

OUR TRUCK IS NOT HERE!

Don't you hate all the domain grabbing bastards out there?

The domain whatsupwiththat.com was due to expire March 17th. I have been watching it and since it is owned by the Chicago Tribune and is not being use for anything, I thought that I might have a chance.

The policy is to give the person a week OVER (sometimes more) the expiration date to reregister. The BASTARDS waited until the 19th to do that.

The only one that was open was www.whatsupwiththat.info.

NOT ANYMORE! That baby is now mine!

So everyone congratulate me. I am the proud owner of whatsupwiththat.info.

:)

May the luck of the dancing Irishman rub off on ye today!

Don't Drink (too much green beer) and Drive!

I ate two bran muffins today...

Now I have a belly ache.

But they were sooo good.

It felt so much like a hot chocolate evening tonight. We had a great little thunderstorm roll in just after the sun went down.

There was just enough rain to give the air that Arizona rain scent. )Which for those of you who are not from AZ, it is quite abit like damp dirt) Had just enough lightning to get my 76 pound scarety dog into my lap.

After I peeled his upper legs from my neck and pulled his lower claws from my thigh I went and made hubby and I some of this . . .

useful PLEASE!

Since I got home from work I have been "dorking"with the little script to the left that puts up how I am feeling and moods and stuff. Damn. It really isn't that tough but do I have a mental block about scripting or what. I FINALLY got it to work and I find it quite amusing.

Notice: Not on all skins!

I need to research how to password protect a blog. Anyone have any good sources for me to read up on it?

UPDATE:
Thanks anyway. I found it! :)

It's a beautiful day in the Neighborhood! (R.I.P. Mr. Rogers)

I decided that since it is such a beautiful sunny day here today that I would take the "blue car" out and give it alittle TLC.

Seems somewhere out there, there was a "screw" waiting for a ride and it found it in my back passenger tire. (screw in the literal sense, not a "lets get laid! screw) This little bastard has been riding with me for about a week, as that is when I noticed that I had a sllooowww leak.

So this morning off I go to Discount Tire to have it fixed. I walked in. Told them my name. They said 45 mins. I went to Taco Bell for coffee. 30 mins later the car was ready. Not to bad!

Now it was off to the car wash to vacuum away the Kermit hair from the back seat. You see, my hubby won't let the dog in "HIS NEW TRUCK" but he says Kerm LOVES to ride in the car. So he uses "MY CAR" to run his errands when he wants to bring the dog. So that is the reason for the dog hair in MY CAR! Anyway, I digress!

when the first episode of Star Trek was televised.

A friend emailed me this link and I found it quite entertaining and informative to say the least.

How old were you when these events occurred?

• 9-11 attack on America?


• first day of Y2K?


• when O.J. Simpson was charged with murder?


• the fall of the Berlin Wall?


• the time the Iran hostage crisis began?


• "I Shot the Sheriff" by Eric Clapton was released?


• Elvis Presley died?


• The first airing of "Saturday Night Live"?


• When "Friends" first aired?


• How about when "The Sound of Music" was released?


• or "The Terminator"?

You can find this out and more by going to Age Gauge.

There is a TV gauge, a Movie gauge and a Top 40 gauge.

Enjoy!

I was cleaning out one of my old file cabinets to make room for more of my "new Junk" when I decided to go thru all my old VHS tapes. There are about 60 tapes of various things. The object was to play them to make sure that what was written on the outside was actually what was recorded on them.

First I separated the ones that said they were family videos of vacations - band days - steel drum concerts - Christmas' etc. There were about twenty of those.

But when I started "viewing" the rest of the tapes on the VCR, it got so excited to be of use that it had a case of premature shutdown. TOTALLY! Will not work. So now I have about 40 tapes to figure out if they are keepers or ready for the recycle bin.

Damn I was so ready to get that chore taken care of. :(

And I really wanted to have a look at the "OLD" tapes. One of which is my wedding. Hubby and I thought it might be fun to sit down and watch it after the romantic weekend we had here with Josh and Niki's wedding.

Anyone have a VCR we can borrow?

I was checking out some fellow blogs and came across a really cool link at Just Like A Dream

I just know that my hubby and brother-in-law will love this one.

It is a list of letters from the alphabet that were taken from movie titles. You fill them in and when you get them correct it will display as correct.

Go figure that the only one I got in game 1 quickly was J.

Here's the link

Movie Alphabet Game 1

And for those who love torture here is a second game

Movie Alphabet Game 2

WARNING!
Only click READ MORE if you want the answers to the games.

What goes FFFTTTPOPSIZZLESNAP?

Give up?

Started the day at the vet.

Poor Kerm!

His hips are fine but his spine has a touch of arthritis. It is in the lower part (sacrum) between the leg joints. Doc said it didn't look that bad to be causing the total non-use of the one leg and asked if he could have had a muscle injury on top of the arthritis.

Think think think ... Then I occured to us it might have been last week when Rick took him over to his mom's 2 acres and Kerm tried to take on a Great Dane. Rick pulled them apart before the teeth sunk in to each other but not before Kerm raked his nails down the back of Rick's legs as he was straining to get that "Bad Boy". Think that might have done it? Doc nodded.

So Kerm is laying here higher than a kite from the good drugs he got at the vet to "calm him" while they took xrays. (He don't take kindly to strangers)
I asked the Doc if we could have some extras for the rest of the time (like the rest of his hyper life) but he just gave me a quirky smile. I don't think he got it.

So it is bed rest and anti-inflammatory meds for the next week to see if it gets better.

That means NO BALL!

This is going to be a very interesting week.

That was my feeling earlier today.

I woke up about 4 this morning with a killer Migraine. Rick (the sweety that he is) got up and got me the usual ice pack and meds. He knows the drill by now.

But it did not get better!

Ever had your head in a vise as someone was turning it tighter and tighter and another someone is poking you in the eye with a hot poker? Yeah that feeling! That is how I spent my beautiful slightly rainy Sunday.

I only managed to get up to go potty and hang over the toilet the few times I thought I was going to puked. Thank God I didn't, else the top of my head would have probably blown off.

About 4:30 I woke up from one of my naps and felt considerably better. Altho I looked abit like Don King with blonde hair. (Don King is the boxing promoter with the gray hair that sticks straight up off his head)

Now it is time to go to bed and I am WIDE AWAKE!

idea from Just Like A Dream

This is fun.

Step 1: Open your mp3 player.
Step 2: Put all of your music on random.
Step 3: List the first ten songs it plays, no matter how embarrassing.

Here is my list ...

I hope everyone has a GREAT day!
Full of love and happiness.

Love you all,

Traecy

I took the "What Mythological Beast Are You?" test.

Got it from Niki's blog. Was kind of fun in a weird sort of way. Altho I couldn't get the code that was supplied to work. I managed to tweak it to get it to work here.

And the winner is . . .

I have added a few things to the blog.

I added a counter ... pretty pathetic right now. Only one visitor.

I added a cool limk to a GuestMap. I saw it on GoFish weblog and loved the idea. That too is pretty pathetic so far.

And also a link for Rings. Signed up for Dry heat and the Phoenix Bloggers but haven't heard back from either yet. Need to find out exactly WHAT the link for Phoenix Bloggers is. I have come across "several" while I was looking around.

"think music along with the title"

But that is the question!

What are your plans for New Year's Eve? Party? Dinner? Home?

We will probably be home watching movies and Dick Clark til midnight. Then out the door to bang some pans together and dodge stray bullets and in bed ...
toasty warm by 12:15. Of course, well before midnight the money will be set out on the window sill to bring in more money in the coming new year. "Don't laugh ... it hasn't hurt me yet!

What ever you do have a Happy Healthy and Prosperous (only if you put your money out on the window sill before midnight) New Year.

I just got back from my "LAST" trip to the store. If I don't have it now. . . we don't get it!

Now I have to finish wrapping and get those under the tree.

Then I have to bake "THREE" coffee cakes for the traditional Christmas morning. Have to do three this year cause we won't be getting together this year on Christmas morning (Christmas Eve instead) and everyone needs to have the "traditional coffee cake" for the morning at their house.

I sure hope they appreciate it. :-)

Have a very Merry Christmas Everyone!

I am ready for Christmas.

I just have to get thru tomorrow at work. (killer day) and then it is party time.

We are doing the In-Law Christmas, Sunday evening. Since it is the only time that EVERYONE can get together before the "other families" get their share of us.

So we will have a little food (acutally alot), a gift frenzy and then a walk around the neighborhood to check out Christmas lights.

Then back to work for a couple of days, then it will be Christmas Eve and before you know it ... it will all be over and it will be 2004!

Let the Games begin!

Shopping wise that is.

The traffic was awful but I got out and got "almost" all my shopping done. I do have a few things to go get tomorrow but I will try to get out bright and early.

I always feel sooo much more "festive" AFTER all my shopping is done.

HO! HO! HO!

I know your mother told you once or twice in your life to keep your fingers to yourself.

Well I did! And I poked myself right in the eye. This is what happens when you do that.

Okay not that kind of Ketchup but "Catch Up".

That is what I am trying to do since we got back from our trip to California.

I have house cleaning to do, Christmas decorations to put up, Christmas shopping to do, and all this on top of the "regular" routine.

My experimental Dec Photoblog is behind as well. I have the pictures, I just haven't had time to get them resized and posted. Hopefully, I will be able to "Ketchup" this week.

AAAAHHHH! I love Christmas time.

to get to the stores and spend some money. So that is exactly what I did.

Got a little of my shopping done today. Got two presents for a party that we are going to on Saturday night. Only took me two hours. :(

At this rate I might be done by New Years Eve.

We are back from our little excursion to California. Home of Governor Arnold.

We had a great time. Check out the Dec Photoblog link at the left.

But now I need a week to get over the vacation. Ended up with a lovely migraine for the plane flight home. And today I am still feeling abit weak in the knees. But work beaconed.

Got my dogs back. Got my cat back. Got my jammies on and am going to relax on the couch for the rest of the day.

I am trying something new. Starting on Dec 1, I am going to take at least one picture a day and add it to a daily photo blog. This will be separate from the "regular photoblog".
You can access this Daily Photoblog with the link in the Menu. (Dec '03 Photoblog)
If I like it and it works this month I may continue it next month also. We will see. Let me know if you like it.

I love to hear the thunder, watch the lightening when it lights up the sky.

You know if makes me feel good.

Such a beautiful sight, I love to feel the rain on my face taste the rain on my lips in the moon light shining.

Puts a song in this heart of mine, puts a smile on my face everytime.

I love a rainy night.

Showers wash all my cares away. I wake up to a sunny day.

Cause I love a rainy night.

:)

I used my hubby's circular power saw today!

God that this is heavy!

I was cutting a board to make shelves for my cabinet at work. And if I do say so myself I didn't do half bad. The cuts were not "EXACT" but close enough.

And like I said I still have my fingers and there was not a drop of blood anywhere.

:)

Well here is the "NEW LOOK"

How do you like it?

I have added a photoblog also and put in a few pic of "the boys", just to see if it worked. It seems to so far. If you see any "boo boo's" let me know.

We had a garage sale this morning.

Up at 5 am (actually 4:15) to get everything out on the carport before the sun came up. All set and ready to go at 6.

My mother in law and I took off to put out the "Yard Sale" signs (we had 8) and would your believe

As you might be able to see... I am working on a change. So bear with me.

I was painting my bedroom and bathroom this morning and had the radio blaring. Oldies but goodies!

The song " You Can Call Me Al" by Paul Simon came on, and I had a flashback!

I am again trying to figure out what I can do with this blog.

I am trying to load a picture here and will see if it works.

I still am not getting email notification when a comment is posted. Gonna have to ask Niki to help me on that. I have done the troubleshooting and all seems to be okay, but no email. :(

Here is my first attempt and adding a picture. Rick calls it "The God Picture" snapped it outside of Fuddrucker's one afternoon.

We just finished watching "Mystery Alaska"!

What an awesome hockey movie! Made me do a little reliving of when the "Phoenix Mustangs" played for the WCHL title and won. That was the most exciting game I have ever seen.

Sure do miss the Mustangs . . . Sean Whyte and the guys. Sean is now coaching for the Horizon high school hockey team. We are gonn have to get over there to see a game or two.

Ah the old days!

This burns my ass!

Telemarketing 'do not call' law struck down"

Almost 50 million people voluntarily called in to have their names added to the "Do No Call" list. No one twisted their arms! The phone lines and internet sites were SLAMMED with people rushing to get on this list. And now Judge West of OK has decided that the Federal Trade Commission didn't have the authority to make the Do Not Call" list.

Congress GAVE them the authority!

As a child, you just couldn’t wait for your birthday. The anticipation of “Your Day”, where everyone you knew helped you celebrate in some special way, was exciting. Whether it was a party to the closest ice or roller rink with all your friends. A cake with candles for you to blow out and make a wish, that you just knew was going to come true. Presents to open and cards from family and friends who lived out of town. Dinner out with the ones you love and the surprise cake for dessert with the serving staff singing you their rendition of “Happy Birthday.

Those were the good old days.

I had a birthday yesterday!

If so, I probably don't like you very much!

Think about it!

If you make an appointment to be someplace at a certain time to meet someone, the other person has also made that time a priority too. They have put their lives on hold for the moment to be with you (for what ever reason, Dr., hair appointment, dinner, REPAIR GUY) They have said to you, they will hold this spot of their day open to see you and will be there waiting . . . and waiting and waiting. THEY also have a life filled with things to do, other than wait for you if you are late!

This brings me to my rant of the day.

Spent yesterday morning at the outpatient surgery with my mom. She had the plate that was in her ankle removed (cause of infection) Everything went well. She was going to stay home but I talked her into coming to the house to stay for a few days till she goes to see the doctor on Thursday. Packed her and Sara (her dog) up into the car and brought her home with me.

I think Sara loves my cat, who seems to have a complete disregard for Sara. But at least they are not trying to eat each other. :)

At least I am having the snowball effect!

Since I put this blog online it has been happening.

First, I was trying to get the design for this site down. Come to find out that the basic design is based on cascading stylesheets. I use them in my other web design but not as extensively as I could. So I have gone on a quest to learn more about CSS.

No, it isn't!
Altho what they have done so far is beeaauutiful! There is tile on the walls only. They have to "build" the floor so that there is a slight slant for the water to run into the drain. Day off tomorrow, so they will be back bright and early on Monday.

I will not be here!

I really don't like to shop but had to spend part the day doing it. It wasn't too bad!

I went out to Loew's to look for edge tile for the shower, that the "short" tile guys are going to start working on tomorrow. We got the wall tile and the floor tile yesterday at Home Depot but they didn't have the "bullnose" for the edges. So off I went on the search for "Bullnose". I was pretty lucky because I found what I wanted at the first stop... ALMOST!

It is a simple question.

We have to have our shower retiled because of a big "butt hole" in the wall.

I spent the morning painting my youngest niece, Meg's old bedroom a lovely shade of baby blue and tan. My mother-in-law and I gave that to Caren as a shower gift.

You might have noticed I said "OLD BEDROOM". She and the rest of the family are awaiting the arrival of the first BOY in the family. "HE" is due the middle of October. "HE" doesn't have an official name yet but the list is getting shorter. I think there are about 8 left to choose from. Some of them being:

Checking out all the features and what they do and how they work. This is alot of work I am finding out.

But fun at the same time. Wish my "real job" was as much fun!

K here I go! This will be the first test to see if I actually managed to get this thing up and running.

I think I can....I think I can..... I think I can...